MBA Program

The ability to think strategically about natural resources is a leadership competence that every manager should have.

As an MBA student at HBS, you will prepare yourself for leadership in an ever-changing world in which natural resources are increasingly scarce. Your education will be based in the complementary case method and field method, and in addition to courses, you will learn through internship and fellowship opportunities, student-led clubs and conferences, entrepreneurial competitions, and career development resources.

Your First Year

Environmental challenges are embedded in the Required Curriculum through cases that connect these issues to traditional business disciplines such as strategy, finance, marketing, entrepreneurship, and supply chain operations. Cases are set in a variety of industry contexts, including energy, agriculture, transportation, chemicals, and investment.

During the summer following the first year, support is available through the Social Enterprise Summer Fellows program to students who wish to explore environment-related opportunities at a nonprofit organization, government agency, or social value-focused for-profit organization.

Your Second Year

In the Elective Curriculum, students may choose from a number of courses that explore the integration of environmental issues and management practices or that address broader issues of sustainable markets.

Independent Projects and Field Courses enable second-year students to integrate real-world projects with classroom learning. Where environmental sustainability is a core element of the project, students may be eligible for reimbursement grants for project-related expenses.

Career Development

HBS MBAs have many options for making a difference at the critical intersection of environmental and business issues, whether in for-profit careers or in the nonprofit or public sectors. BEI actively assists students in planning their careers and collaborates with MBA Recruiting.

Getting Started

From the time you arrive on campus, there are many ways to connect with a network of students, faculty, and alumni who are deeply engaged in environmental issues:

Business & Environment Initiative Kick-Off: Meet the BEI leadership, network with like-minded students, and learn more about how you can get involved.

Student Club Fair: An opportunity to connect with environment-related clubs.

Cross Registration

In order to tailor their academic experience, MBA students, during their second year, may cross-register for courses in other select graduate programs. Joint degree programs exist with the Harvard Kennedy School, Harvard Law School, and Harvard Medical School.

MBA Summer Fellowship

Each year, several students within the Social Enterprise Summer Fellowship program pursue summer positions with an environmental focus, working with such organizations as Rocky Mountain Institute, National Park Service, the United Nations, World Wildlife Fund, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Calvert Foundation, Environmental Defense Fund, Outward Bound, and private sector companies in the waste management, energy, and natural foods industries.